The Hotshot Wake Up The Hotshot Wake Up

On Today's Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

Dr. Amber Ortega is an air quality meteorologist, wildland fire smoke specialist, and atmospheric chemist with nearly two decades of experience researching, forecasting, and managing smoke. She serves as the Regional Smoke Coordinator at both the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest & Alaska Forest Service Regional Offices. Driven by a desire to bridge the gap between researchers, regulators, and field operations, Amber aims to enhance fire personnel support, improve smoke fluency, and facilitate harmonious relationships with fire practitioners, air quality, and public health agencies. She's an Air Resource Advisor, aka Smoke Specialists that are dispatched to incidents to support Incident Command Teams with smoke concerns.

Previously, she was the Duty Officer for the Smoke Monitoring Program at the Rocky Mountain National Fire Cache, part of the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program. She served as a prescribed fire smoke manager and air quality meteorologist for the State of Colorado. Prior to civil service, as a Department of Energy Office of Science Fellow, she investigated the intersection of fire, weather, and air quality, focusing on smoke emissions from deferring fuel types and their interactions with the environment.

Her research spans ground- and aircraft-based smoke measurements across notable locations, including USDA Missoula Fire Sciences Lab and Manitou Experimental Forest Observatory, UC-Berkeley Blodgett Forest Research Station, NASA Airborne Science DC-8 Laboratory, and US Naval Research Laboratory Scientific Development Squadron. She holds an MS/BS in Meteorology (Penn State), a Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences with a Specialization in Analytical Chemistry (CU-Boulder), and a PostDoc in Chemical Engineering (Uni Arizona), earning her the apropos title "Dr. Smoke."

A fantastic conversation.

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/


Back in February, multiple wildfires were started in the Valparaiso region of Chile. These fires killed 137 people and were the second deadliest fires this century.


2 individuals’ homes have been raided, and were arrested after an investigation found a firefighter and a forest supervisor masterminded these fires.


I called these fires out for arson back in February and was quickly labeled a conspiracy theorist, a climate denier, and space lasers were widely blamed online… Turns out it was one of the deadliest and most malicious acts of arson in world history.


A month-long plan was made to start multiple fires using homemade incendiary devices during peak summer on the windiest day to cause the most damage. Specific sites were chosen on maps months in advance.


I also cover the wildfires down in the southwest including the Blue 2 Fire that grew significantly yesterday.


Plus more.



THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

On Today's Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

I have a wide-ranging conversation with the Executive Director of the United Aerial Firefighters Association, Paul Petersen. The UAFA represents the Aerial Wildland Fire Industry (Airtankers, Scoopers, Helicopters, Retardant, and aviation support) to Local, State, Federal agencies and Congress.

Before his time at UAFA, Paul served as a Firefighter, Engine Captain, Fire Operations Specialist (Battalion Chief), Assistant Fire Management Officer, Fire Management Officer, and Deputy State Fire Management Officer.

It is a fantastic conversation that covers many topics, including the current retardant issues, aviation contracting, working with the agencies, and more.


THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid Substack subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

I have a conversation with Dani Shedden, the woman behind Close The Gap Wellness. Dani is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor, and a wildland firefighter who started her counseling career with one goal in mind: to help people find balance and manage their mental health.

It’s a great conversation that expands into all things health and the realities of being a wildland firefighter, a partner or family member of one, and how to better manage those complex relationships and stressful environments.

Dani travels across the country to talk to crews and fire personnel on a weekly basis. Say what’s up if you see her!



THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

On Today’s Show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/


Canada sees multiple holdover fires rekindle.


Multiple communities evacuated as the fires jumped rivers and highways. An estimated 500k acres burned this week.


The Southwest starts bringing in IMTs to fires. The Toyo Fire in Arizona prompts a CIMT order with multiple Hotshot crews.


Region 3 starting to pick up in activity.


Washington State announced this week that during fire weather, residents should expect their power to be cut off for multiple days on end this summer.


Wyoming sees insurance rates triple due to “wildfire risk.”


Full operational update.


Plus more



THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

On today’s show: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/


Outside Magazine pushes a year-round and nationwide campfire ban as a “symbolic” way to stop human-caused starts.


Should we ban campfires nationwide? Don’t Forests already have restriction policies in place?


Power lines, railroads, vehicles, and large debris burns cause more fires than camp fires.




An April burn over and entrapment in North Carolina.


Oregon residents sue PacifiCorp Power for $30B over the 2020 Labor Day fires.


Utility Owner Warren Buffet admits it will likely lead to the power company going out of business.


Maui sues all major cellphone companies for losing service during the Lahaina fires.


Your cell phone bill is about to get more expensive…


Plus more.



THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.